At the moment mid-20^th Century furniture is especially on trend with the younger generation who like to furnish their homes in this style. Furniture from this period which a few years ago fetched very little at auction is now very sought after and is known for its clean lines, uncomplicated and functional designs. The names to look for are G Plan, Ercol, Nathan and Macintosh so check the inside of cupboard doors, the sides of drawers or the back of a sideboard to see if your items have a label bearing one of those sought after names.

So, let’s have a look at the history of one of these firms G Plan. The G Plan range was introduced in 1953 by E. Gomme Ltd., a long-established furniture firm from High Wycombe. Its aim was to make stylish fashion forward contemporary furniture in contrast to the utility furniture of the war time and dark heavy furniture of earlier decades. The first range launched was called Brandon and designed by Victor Bramwell Wilkins. This Scandi inspired range was in light wood although some darker pieces were made and often had splayed legs and solid wood handles. The Astro coffee table from the mid 1960’s is an iconic piece with its four shaped supports and glass top and in good condition can fetch around £100-200 in auction.

Another sought after brand of mid-Century furniture is Ladderax, which was made from 1962-1987. Ladderax was a mix and matching shelving system, which could be changed and added to when required and could incorporated record cabinets, writing desks, drawers etc.

Recently in our Autumn Fine Art sale we sold a wonderful Charles and Ray Eames style swivel chair and matching footstool. It was one of my favourite lots in the sale and it was a true design icon and typical of mid century furniture with a simulated rosewood frame and striking red leather upholstery. These chairs were sold by the American furniture company Herman Miller and were first introduced in 1956. The chairs were inspired by the traditional English club chair and were made until the early 1990’s. They consisted of five layers of plywood shells and then covered in veneers. Examples of Eames chairs can be seen in many museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and have appeared in movie and television room settings. 

Another type of furniture from the later half of the 20th century to look out for is Danish teak  and rosewood which flourished from 1945-1975. It is known for its clean lines and simple designs in natural woods with chairs, tables and sideboards being the most common items made. Their mid century design aesthetic favoured functionally over ornamentation but always with high quality of craftsmanship. The Danish modern design movement was born out of the inter war period, a time of great change and upheaval as Denmark transitioned from an agricultural to an industrial economy. Perhaps the most famous Danish mid century furniture designer was Arne Jacobsen. He began his career as an architect but soon developed an interest in furniture design. His most iconic design is the egg chair. Other designers to look out for are Niels Otto Moller,  Ib Kofod Larsen, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. 

So if you would like any assistance in buying or selling mid century furniture the valuers here at Sheffield Auction Gallery are always happy to assist.